Panlong's Transcendental Fire

Chapter 24 The Foundation of the Leo Empire

On the way to Huoshenshan, Lin Tian was filled with curiosity about the legendary figure Leo I, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, what kind of person is this Leo I?" Lao En, who was standing next to him, also listened attentively, equally interested in this powerful figure who stood at the pinnacle of the continent.

Potter tilted his head slightly, his eyes filled with awe and emotion, and slowly said, "Leo I is a fire-elemental god who has now reached the level of a mid-level god. He was a close friend of Walter I, the founder of the Golden Shield Empire and a mid-level earth god, and George I, the founder of the Frost Empire and a mid-level water god. It is said that they met when they were still in the Saint Realm, and then cultivated together, sharing their experiences and resources, supporting each other through the long years. In the end, the three of them entered the realm of gods together. Afterwards, they joined hands to end that chaotic world and established the three great empires that we know today, jointly ruling this continent."

Upon hearing this, Lin Tian pondered to himself: the fact that these three individuals each established a separate empire seems like a coincidence, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like an arrangement made so that all three could obtain the power of faith. Lost in thought, Lin Tian fell silent.

Seeing Lin Tian remain silent, Lawn picked up the conversation and asked curiously, "Potter, given the strength of the three predecessors, why didn't they unify the continent and establish a vast empire, but instead chose to establish their own kingdoms? Was it because the three predecessors were evenly matched and it was difficult to determine who was superior?"

Potter shook his head slightly and said, "I'm not entirely sure of the specific reasons either. But according to family records, among the three of them, the Ancestor was the first to become a mid-level god, while the other two predecessors broke through to the next level a thousand years after the Ancestor became a mid-level god. Moreover, as far as I know, the Ancestor's strength was actually above that of the other two predecessors. I think the reason why three empires were established at that time was perhaps because the Ancestor and the other two predecessors had experienced too much together, had a deep friendship, and did not want to have disagreements over power, so they chose this relatively balanced approach."

As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at the foot of Mount Vulcan. Potter led Laun and Lin Tian down slowly, pointing to the majestic mountain before them and explaining, "What this mountain was called before our ancestor secluded himself here is unknown. Since then, it has been called Mount Vulcan. Our ancestor lived on the summit, and according to custom, any Saint-level expert who came here had to land at the foot of the mountain and then walk up, as a sign of respect." Lin Tian and Laun nodded in understanding.

Afterwards, the three of them embarked on their ascent together. Near the foot of the mountain, many people were diligently cultivating. Lin Tian subtly spread his spiritual power and sensed that most of these people were level eight or nine warriors, with a few mages occasionally appearing as well.

Seeing this, Potter explained, "Those residing here were all brought by various Saint-level experts. Some are personal disciples of Saint-level experts, while others are outstanding members of Saint-level families. With their diligent cultivation, if they are fortunate enough to reach the Saint-level realm, they may be recommended to the lower-level god seat under the ancestor and become his disciple. If they are exceptionally outstanding Saint-level experts, they may even be accepted as nominal disciples by the ancestor."

Lin Tian's heart stirred, and he asked, "Grandpa, are all the formal disciples under the Ancestor's tutelage god-level experts?"

Potter nodded and said, "Our ancestor currently has three god-level disciples, who are formal disciples. In addition, there are five disciples who were taken in by our ancestor during his Saint Realm and Lower God stages. Although they are only at the Saint Realm level now, they are also formal disciples. As for the disciples who were taken in by our ancestor during his Middle God stage, those who have not yet become Lower Gods can only be considered as nominal disciples."

Lin Tian couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Grandpa, you said before that the Leo Empire had more god-level experts than the other two empires, but now, including our ancestor, there are only four god-level experts? Does that mean the other two empires didn't have any other god-level experts besides their founding emperors?"

Potter looked at Lin Tian with a mysterious smile and said, "Who said that the only god-level experts in the Leo Empire are the disciples of our ancestor? Lin Tian, ​​think carefully, since you were born, besides your parents and siblings, have you ever seen any other members of the royal family?"

Lin Tian was taken aback. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that it was true. This empire, which had been passed down for thousands of years, had never seen any other members of the royal family except for his own direct relatives. This was really strange and did not make sense!

Seeing the confusion on Lin Tian's face, Potter slowly said, "To ensure the competitiveness of the royal family members and reduce internal strife, the ancestor established a rule when passing the throne to the next emperor: each emperor, upon ascending the throne, must have all members of the royal family of the same generation, as well as their descendants, go to Mount Vulcan for cultivation. Only those who reach the Saint Realm are qualified to leave Mount Vulcan. However, the ancestor also stipulated that even those at the Saint Realm cannot inherit the throne, and if one breaks through to the Saint Realm while on the throne, they must pass the throne to the next generation. I passed the throne to your father because of this rule. Therefore, in reality, most of the people on Mount Vulcan are members of our Leo family. The Leo family currently has more than a dozen god-level experts. Going back to me, every generation of the Leo family has produced a god-level expert. This is the true foundation of the Leo family."

Upon hearing this, Lin Tian felt a sudden sense of clarity and couldn't help but admire Leo I's foresight. These seemingly strict regulations actually ensured the Leo family's continuous cultivation of powerful descendants, guaranteeing the family's long-term prosperity on the continent.

The three continued their ascent, the mountain path winding and twisting, but the surrounding scenery grew increasingly serene. As they progressed, the spiritual energy around them became increasingly dense; Lin Tian could sense that every breath of air here seemed to contain immense power, greatly aiding cultivation. Occasionally, they could see disciples cultivating on platforms in the mountains; their focused expressions and the sweat they shed all revealed their thirst for power.

Looking at these young cultivators, Laun sighed, "With such an atmosphere, it's no wonder the Leo family produces so many talented people."

Potter smiled and nodded: "That's right. The family provides them with a good training environment and resources; the rest depends on their own efforts and talent."

After another trek, the three finally arrived at a cluster of buildings halfway up the mountain. Potter explained, "This is an important training ground on Mount Vulcan, where many family members gather to exchange their cultivation experiences."

The three paused briefly in the complex, exchanging pleasantries with several familiar Saint-level experts. These experts, seeing Potter with Lin Tian and Laun, all looked on with curiosity.

After leaving the complex, Lin Tian couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, the way these elders looked at me seemed a little special?"

Potter chuckled, "It's quite rare for someone so young to have entered the Sanctuary. Naturally, they're very curious about you."

Potter then led Lin Tian and Laun to the top of the mountain, where a person was sitting.